Grass Valley, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/25/2012 -- Across the world, millions of people have discovered the physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of yoga. Many yoga practitioners are becoming increasingly aware of the deeper and more subtle aspects of classical yogic teachings, and have sought a place where they can receive further education, as well as rediscover their commitment while expanding their practice.
Since it opened in 1971, the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm has offered yoga students of all levels scenic and serene yoga retreats, where they can learn more about all aspects of the discipline.
Swami Vishnudevananda founded the spiritual, non-sectarian, non-profit Yoga California ashram, which is located near Grass Valley. The Yoga Farm provides a residential setting where spiritual practitioners of all levels can deepen their practice through the study of classical yoga, meditation and vedanta.
The Sivananda Yoga Farm recently announced yoga teacher training courses that will begin this spring. The Teacher Training Course (TTC) and Advanced Teacher Training Course (ATTC), will run from May 5 until June 3.
The TTC course is primarily a classical Yoga spiritual development course, developed by Swami Vishnudevananda.
“This course is meant to be intensive, immersing the students in a day long balanced program of theory and practices,” Swami Sitaramananda, director of the Yoga center explains, adding that the students come from different backgrounds and cultures and live harmoniously together in a spiritual community under the guidance of teachers.
“In keeping with this ancient Yoga tradition, spiritual practices such as daily adherence to discipline, meditation, sanskrit mantra chanting, Hindu gods and goddesses, ceremonial worships such as puja, strict vegetarianism, selfless service and study of philosophy constitute a large part of this program.”
The Advanced Yoga Teacher's Training Course helps graduates from the Sivananda Teacher's Training Course to deepen their spiritual practice and their study of Hatha yoga, Vedanta philosophy, Raja yoga, anatomy and Sanskrit.
The advanced class gives students an additional chance to practice under guidance in a supportive atmosphere, which provides many with a boost of energy and clarity. The course is similar to the Teacher Training Course and is not meant for experts only (the TTC is a prerequisite).
Swami Vishnudevananda founded the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres. Since 1969, over 24,000 yoga teachers have been trained through the program, which now has close to 60 locations, including a Yoga Vietnam program and Yoga Colombia program.
About Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm
In 1971, Swami Vishnudevananda returned to California and founded the third ashram in the young Sivananda International organization: the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm on 40 acres of land located in the Gold Country of the beautiful Sierra Nevada Foothills in Northern California. The non-profit, non-sectarian ashram offers yoga classes, retreats and teacher training courses for students of all abilities. For more information, please visit Yoga California.